


The Keeper and the Divine

by Lithosaurus



Series: Owl, Raven, Robin [4]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: DA4 speculation, Dalish Restoration, F/M, Not a lot of context, Post Trespasser, Trans Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2018-02-28
Packaged: 2019-03-25 06:52:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13828830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lithosaurus/pseuds/Lithosaurus
Summary: The attempted secession of the Dales has brought headaches to many- and some heartache to Divine Victoria I.





	The Keeper and the Divine

“Your Holiness, they are ready for you.” Divine Victoria I’s attendant announced. Another meeting of dignitaries and courtiers. Cassandra wished it was just that but there was more happening today. She recentered her tall hat of station and the heavy chain across her chest.  It pulled at her more than armor ever did. Divine Justinnia had never seemed to feel the weight.

The Dalish delegation stood as a unified front in the salon. Briala was the only one who wore an Orlesian mask even though the Hall of A Thousand Voices was in the heart of Val Royeaux’s noble district. She stood with a proud posture that few elves ever showed in the Orlesian capitol. Beside her, Fairbanks stood with a slightly less confident stance. He was one of only three humans in the group. The others were Cobbler, the self-declared representative for the human commoners and Ser Marina Desjardins, one of the few remaining war leaders for the Freemen of the Dales.

Elves outnumbered the humans two to one. The only sitting member was the elderly Keeper Ghilasenniel who had her staff resting against the back of the fainting couch. The only elf with a face clear and free was Polli Tanner, a controversial figure if nothing else. She has lost all five of her siblings, a husband, and two children in the burning of Halamshiral’s alienage. If the rumors were to be believe, she still held plenty of burning inside of her. Abelas, the guardian of Mythal, lingered in the back of the group with his hood up and his shining elvhen armor replaced with soft robes of a foreign design. His lack of armor was compensated for by Kai Lavellan, the Inquisitor’s sister and their commander of sorts elected from the Dalish hunters. Her bow and quiver had been stripped from her but Cassandra knew without a doubt she carried at least two knives on her person, just as she herself did.

And then there was the last member of the delegation. He stood at the fore in the robes of a keeper with his staff held high in one hand. His only hand, truly. High Keeper Mahanon Lavellan didn’t move as she entered the room, preceded and followed by guards, Mothers, and attendants but his eyes softened slightly. Or maybe she was just imagining things.

“Divine Victoria,” Mahanon nodded in her direction before the chamberlain could announce her. “It is a pleasure to see you well again.”

“I can say the same, High Keeper.”  She didn’t bow her head, it would be improper. Even worse would be to cross the room and pull him into her arms.

“Shall we begin?” Ambassador Briala asked.

“Of course, why have you requested my audience?” She settled in the plush chair provided for her and listened as Briala presented their case.

It took far longer than it should have. Each of the delegation members spoke in turn to represent their factions and presented their piece but were interrupted far more than was acceptable. At least, it wouldn’t be acceptable for a delegation of human nobles. Cassandra didn’t prevent her attendants from halting the proceedings as she could not yet appear to have taken a position but she did note who was speaking the most.

She stood when Briala made her final statements and paused the perfect amount of time to keep her audience waiting but not so long that she appeared to be stalling.

“It was the blood of Andraste who gifted the Dales to the Elvhen people.” She said. Immediately, Ser Penniel’s neck twitched. “But it was Andraste herself who gave Emperor Drakon his purpose and his blood that forged the empire of Orlais. The world today is made by the actions of the past and the world tomorrow is made by the actions of today.”

Immediately, protests from both sides rose up.

“I will retire to the garden.” She spoke over them all. “Walk with me, High Keeper.” Mahanon nodded and joined her as she left the room. They walked in silence through the halls to the nearest garden, followed by her remaining guard

“Leave us for a time, Ser Jonathan.” She ordered him as they stepped into the sun.

He looked from her to Mahanon and back.

“I am more than capable of protecting myself, as you know, and the Inquisitor will be here if anything goes truly awry.”

Ser Jonathan narrowed his eyes, Mahanon was the threat he was most worried about after all.

“If a bunch of assassin jump out of a hydrangea I’ll be right here. I’ll pay her back for all the times she’s saved my neck.” Mahanon grinned. Ser Jonathan nodded silently and settled into his guard rest position.

The two of them turned and walked through the rows of carefully manicured roses. Once, they would walked through the gardens of Skyhold together but that was over a year ago A lot of things could change in a year.

“How are you?” Mahanon asked. “Truly, and not as the Divine, as Cassandra.”

“Stressed.” She answered. “And not the least because of you.”

Mahanon laughed and Cassandra tamped down on the light feeling that rose up in her heart. That light feeling couldn’t exist anymore. They both had their duties and there was no room in the life of the Divine for heretical lovers.

“Not to one-up you but I can’t help but think I’m more stressed about this than you.”

“You don’t look it.”

“You would not believe the amount of makeup I’m wearing right now.” Mahanon said. “But thank you for the compliment.”

She stopped at a particularly bright rose. It was named Nightingale, much to Leliana’s dismay. Supposedly it matched the red of a male bird’s breast but Cassandra couldn’t see it.

“I wish this was simply a walk but we have to talk.” She said.

“About the Dales.”

It didn’t need to be stated. Of course this was about the Dales and Mahanon’s bid for power after the dissolution of the Inquisition.

“Thedas cannot survive more conflict now, Mahanon.” She said quietly

“ _Orlais_ can’t survive more conflict.” He corrected. “But why should it? The history of Orlais is that of taking and losing land. Nevarra, the Free Marches, the Dales, Ferelden; there’s a reason Tevinter and Orlais are constantly compared. What would be one more province?”

“One more province would be death for who knows how many more innocent people.” She snapped. “There have already been deaths. Mahanon, this will get innocent people killed, it already has.”

“Bringing peace to the Dales will stop more unnecessary deaths.” He insisted. “And I cannot rest while the People wait in darkness and fear."

She blinked. It was from the Canticle of Shartan. She had no idea that he knew the verses.

She shook off her surprise “You think secession from Orlais will bring peace?”

He laughed bitterly. “The Dales isn’t Orlais. Even the humans who live there can see that. The province would already be its own war-torn, fragile nation if we hadn’t stepped in and stopped the Freeman. One poorly chosen ally stopped it. We have humans and Dalish and Alienageers working together for one goal. Shemlen and Elvhen want the same thing, Cassandra! When has that happened when the actual world wasn’t at stake.”

“Because there has been absolutely no dissent in this rebellion.” She scoffed.

“The nobles dissent.” He conceded. “Or they did until rioting commoners killed them, chased them out, or scared them into silence.”

“You can’t control rioters.”

“I don’t seek to control. That’s the difference between Dalish and humans. We merely ask to live.”

She turned and kept walking to hide the fact that she didn’t have a response.

“Empress Celene is mustering troops.” Cassandra said as they left the roses behind. “She will march on the Dales if the uprisings are not quieted and the Dalish clans leave. It will result in countless deaths. That is why she has allowed this peace talk between us. She wants me to convince you.”

“Orlais is weak and Celene knows it. She called the peace talks because her win isn't certain. It won’t be as easy as burning a few thousand starved elves as they sleep.”

“And you think a few hundred Dalish hunters can stop her?”

“I think that she will bow to a higher authority if she has to.”

Cassandra stopped dead. He wouldn’t. He couldn’t seriously be asking this. Perhaps of the Lady Seeker but not of Divine Victoria.

“Make a statement. Declare to the world that the Dales was a gift from Andraste to the Elves. Let every Chantry Mother know that Celene will be defying the will of the Maker if she strikes down innocents. Again.”

“Do you know,” She chose her words carefully but let the undertone of anger bubbled into her voice. “that there is a fairly substantial rumor about a half-elf bastard currently being raised in secret within the Hall of a Thousand Voices.”

“Oh? I hope those rumors don’t think this imaginary child is ours. That would be quiet the feat. I’m wondering when you had time to conceal a pregnancy from me. And when you figured out how to get pregnant with a _han’nas_ man.”

“That is not the point.” She hissed. “The point is that it is already assumed your influence has affected the Sunburst Throne.”

“Strictly speaking…”

“There will be uprisings, dissent, fracturing in the Chantry.”

“Then let it happen.” He shrugged. “I doubt that Divine Victoria, who saved the world itself would receive much backlash.”

“You’re infuriating.” She huffed. “What happened to the sweet man who stuck flowers in my helmet whenever he could get away with it?”

“You stopped wearing a helmet.”

His tone brought her up short. She stopped and faced him. Mahanon looked older, far older than he should have and there was a sadness in his eyes reserved for reading death tallies.

“I miss you, Cass.” He said quietly. “I miss your certainty and how you made me hope. I wish that time had stopped moving forward after Corypheus had died. We could have pretended that we had solved everything. But we didn’t. You use to carry my doubt for me. I don’t doubt so much anymore. I know what I need to do. For the first time in centuries, my people can have a home once more. We can do away with the idea of nobles and live.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“We’ve rebuilt a few towns. Ones with Chantries and temples, where humans and elves are living together. We’ve taken Halam’shiral and erected statues of Mythal next to Andraste. She saved us, too. We just wish to live the lives Andraste sacrificed herself for.”

Cassandra stared into his eyes. He was earnest in this. He truly believed that he could reestablish the Dales. And he missed her. She unwisely took his hand. She had forgotten just how slim his fingers were but at the same time, remembered every detail about him.

“I’ll make a declaration.” She decided. “The Reunified Dales will have the support of the Chantry. Celene will know that the threat of an Exalted March hangs over her head.”

“The last thing I want is more death.”

“I know. That scares her, too.” She dropped his hand and they began their slow walk back to Ser Jonathan.

“How Saviera and Elannon?” She asked. It would brighten the mood and fill the air, if nothing else. Mahanon smiled fondly. He always loved to speak of his children and she knew being away from them for years had been hard on him.

“They are doing well. Saviera is working in a joint group clearing out a Sylvan wood near the coast. There used to be a port town that we want to rebuild. Elannon is working in Halam’shiral with a few of the Inquisitions former mages. Cholera never seems to fully disappear from the city but they are trying to solve the problem.”

It was nice to speak with him again. Not about rebellions or would-be gods but of life and growth. By the time they returned to the audience chamber, she was in a better mood than she had been for months. Finally, it wasn’t merely posturing and rituals for her. Divine Victoria would make her mark.


End file.
